I. Dadic, T. Petrinovic, P. Brlek: Traffic System on the Island of Krk IVAN DADIC, D.Sc. Traffic Infrastructure Institut prometa i veza, Zagreb Review TOMISLAV PETRINOVIC, U.D.C. 656.022(210.7)(497.5) PREDRAG BRLEK, B. Eng. i\ccepted: 11ar. 17, 1998 Fakultet prometnih znanosti, Zagreb 1\pproved: Jul. 14, 1998 TRAFFIC SYSTEM ON THE ISLAND OF KRK SUMMARY spatial significance of the island in the past resulted in the unified dynamic elements of the geographic loca­ The construction of the bridge mainland - Krk has inte­ tion, providing the island as a whole with the necessary grated the island of Krk into a unique road traffic system of energy. Rijeka and the Croatian seaside. The bridge, together with the In the traffic evaluation of the island of Krk a very ferryboat lines Senj and Baska, have significantly improved the important role belongs to the splendid bridge con­ traffic connections of the islands of Cres and Rab, especially necting it to the mainland. Out of all the Adriatic is­ with Rijeka and the seaside of the counties: Primorsko-goran­ lands only Pag and Ciovo are connected with the ska and Licko-senjska and Istarska zupanija. mainland by bridges. Moreover, the traffic system of Apart from the connection of the island of Krk with the mainland and the neighbouring islands, also the interurban the island of Krk today and tomorrow provides a con­ connections within the islands are very important. nection, especially because of the direct road connec­ The development of tourism will increase the significance tion with the mainland, for the islands of Cres, Rab of the Krk Airport, especially during the tourist season. and Losinj. Since these islands "fill" the Kvarner Bay, their connections needs to be considered both in link­ ing with the traffic system of the Istrian peninsula, but 1. INTRODUCTION also with the mainland from Rijeka to Jablanac. Be­ tween the islands of Krk and Pag, the island of Rab The island of Krk is situated in the North-eastern serves as a kind of a bridge, close to Cres and Losinj, corner of the Adriatic, enclosing the Rijeka Bay from and over Pag the Kvarner islands will get more and the South-east together with the island of Cres which more connected with the wider Zadar area. is situated at its Western side. Towards the South, Krk The construction of modern roads on the islands in begins the sequence of other Kvarner islands. The is­ general, supplemented by the ferry transport with the land of Krk belongs to an ideally limited area covering mainland, establish better connections towards the some 410 km2 and it is the biggest island in the Adri­ centre of the island. atic, with 13,110 inhabitants in 68 towns and villages, and only in four of them there are minor industrial plants. This paper considers the island of Krk primar­ 2. EVALUATION OF THE TRAFFIC ily from the traffic point of view. The Romans ex­ SYSTEM ON THE ISLAND OF KRK pressed their admiration for the island with the words "Splendidissima civitas Kuryctorum" (The most "The most splendid island of Krk", as called by the splendid country of the Krk people) 1• Because of vari­ ancient Romans, was isolated in the Adriatic for a ous natural resources and traffic and geographic ad­ long time. Its natural resources were frozen and it had vantages, this island has geo-strategic significance and no developed infrastructure nor any unique traffic sys­ had been inhabited through history and centuries by tem. Using its advantageous geographic position, it the Illlyrians, Romans, Greeks, Slavs, i.e. Croats. It moves away from the mainland in the Southeast, but has also lived through various political transforma­ comes close to it in its Northest part, to a distance of tions, changing its masters and serving them as a col­ some 500 m only. ony. As the masters kept changing, the inaccessible ar­ By the social and traffic activation of this region, it eas were cleared, and later turned into paths and dusty began to flourish economically and in the traffic sense roads with the purpose of linking the island with the marked by three historic events. In 1959 the first ferry seaside and the neighbouring villages and thus con­ service was established between Crikvenica and Silo, trolling it entirely. They also defined and organised then in 1964 the second ferry service connected Crisn­ the traffic policy according to their needs and in accor­ jevo and Voz, providing a break-through in the island dance with their time and space. Such a differentiated isolation. The third event represented a turning point Promet- Traffic- Traffico, Vol. 10, 1998, No. 3, 117-122 117 I. DadiC, T. Petrinovic, P. Brlek: Traffic System on the Island of Krk Index: RIJEKA roads existing and planned ferryboats operating and planned the most isolated regions until mid 70's 0 5 15 km Figure 1 Modern and future traffic connections of the island of Krk in the economic life of the island, and it happened in mary role regarding tourist movements. The develop­ 1980 by the construction of the splendid bridge "Krcki ment of the Krk infrastructure and the defining of the most" connecting the Omisalj area on the island of traffic corridors make the island an exceptionally im­ Krk, via the island of St. Marko with the Kraljevica portant transit area, especially through the following area on the mainland. 2 modes of transport: ferry, road, and air traffic, which By the construction of the bridge and the moderni­ will be discussed in the following sections. sation of the roads on the island both the island and its towns and villages became accessible and attractive to 2.1. Ferryboat service on the island of Krk tourists, unified by the traffic system into a whole and economically evaluated. Apart from tourism, the When tourism was still just beginning to develop, other main factor in the development of all the func­ the seaside villages on the island had good steamboat tions on the island is the traffic which plays the pri- connections with the area around the island, i.e. the 118 Pro met- Traffic- Traffico, Vol. 10, 1998, No. 3, 117-122 I. Dadic, T. Petrinovic, P. Brlek: Traffic System on the Island of Krk Table 1- The Valbiska - Merag ferryboat line V ALBISKA- MERAG the peak traffic per months 1994 1996 (passenger/year) June 15,548 20,055 July 24,962 32,830 August 22,548 33,355 September 15,376 16,236 Overall traffic for the whole year 135,416 179,280 Table 2 - The Baska - Lopar ferryboat line BASKA- LOPAR the peak traffic per months 1994 1996 (passenger/year) June 569 1,196 July 3,124 2,723 August 4,068 4,344 September 727 768 Overall traffic for the whole year 8,671 9,250 Average daily traffic in summer 115 114 mainland3. The growth of tourist traffic meant also but at the same time showing some oscillations. For the development of the white fleet which introduced the first time these showed with greater emphasis in modern vessels, ferryboats. The ferryboat traffic is a 1970, when the growth rate was 105, whereas it was special mode of maritime transport, which, due to its 480 on the Voz- Crisnjevo line. amphibian effect and efficiency represents one of the The "younger" line took over the majority of traffic modern multi modal traffic forms, because road traffic due to multiple advantages of the closeness of the con­ is the reason for the existence of ferryboat traffic, and tinental road section, short navigation corridor main­ it can be concluded that they are closely intercon­ land - island, direct access to the island main road and nected and difficult to separate. They represent a the tourist settlements on the island, constant ferry­ turning factor of the new traffic and economic situa­ boat operation regardless of the sailing schedule dur­ tion on the island most closely connected with its tour­ ing the tourist season, and traffic circulation with a ist development. The main reason for the sudden in­ greater number of ferryboats. crease in the number of tourists and road vehicles on In 1965, the "younger" line transported 167,802 the island was in the establishment of the three naviga­ passengers and in 1977 this number increased to tion corridors: Crikvenica - Silo opened for traffic in 1,447,484 with the growth rate 862. At the same time 1959, Crisnjevo- Voz in 1964, and Senj -Baska- Lopar the traffic of passenger cars increased on both ferry­ in operation since 1969, today still in operation but not boats from 35,330 in 1964 to 444,572 in 1977, with the including Senj. growth rate 1,1584. It can be noted that passenger cars The sudden increase in the road traffic frequency follow the movement of passengers and it is obvious found the island with an unprepared road infrastruc­ that the majority of passengers relies on passenger ture, and the motorised tourists needed good roads cars. By the construction of the bridge in 1980, the from the ferryboat port Silo to the rest of the towns traffic system is unified, and the ferryboat lines are dis­ and villages on the island. The statistical data show a continued. Today, the ferryboat traffic uses two navi­ progressive rise in the ferryboat traffic and a marked gation corridors: Valbiska - Me rag and Baska - Lopar. traffic dynamics of passengers and road vehicles on By analysing and comparing the statistical data Crikvenica- Silo and Crisnjevo- Voz lines. From 1964 presented in Tables 1 and 2, it can be concluded that to 1966 the Crikvenica - Silo ferryboat line realised the Valbiska - Merag ferryboat line shows a growth higher passenger traffic which amounted to 884,142, rate of 24.4% compared to the Baska - Lopar ferry- Promet- Traffic- Traffico, Vol.